Need to insulate my cat5 cable

[Yzzim]

I plan on running some cabling from my room upstairs to my brother's room downstairs. Only way I can do it is to run the cat5 cabling through the heating duct. I'd imagine the cabling would have to be insulated. Anything I could wrap around the cat5 cable to insulate it? Preferably something cheap

 

[joshInAlaska]

I've never heard of any product that is made for what you intend to use it for. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that none exist.

What you really need to get is Cat5 cable with a Plenum rating. It is more expensive than normal Cat5, but it is made specifically for running the wire in certain places, such as heating system plenums or certain commercial settings.

 

[Fatt]

It is a violation of code to run non-plenum wire inside a plenum unless it's inside metal conduit.

That's because if it catches on fire and gets into the air it can kill you. Which is, you know... bad.

Plenum rated cable is not cheap BUT in the length you want (probably less than 50 feet) it shouldn't add up to much.

 

[ScottMac]

Plenum cable is also a major PITA to terminate. The jacketing is tighter and stiffer that the usual plastic jacketing.

If you're set to do this, I'd recommend terminating the plenum cable at a jack, then using a regular jumper for the final stretch (at each end). As soon as you start to wiggle the plenum cable (it's not meant to be mobile at all), it's going to come out of the RJ plug and eventually break off (it's solid conductor wire, and you'd have no strain relief).

If you're worried about the toxic fumes thing, then you'd be looking for "Low Smoke, Zero Halogen" type cable ... a notch above plenum. Plenum cable will still burn, it just has a higher flash point. If it burns, it'll still put out some nasty fumes.

Good Luck

Scott

 

[GTdrew]

Seriously doubt the temps reached in your residential heating ducts will be anywhere close enough to burn the wire. Just run the regular stuff. If you die. You die.

 

[Need4Speed]

Originally posted by: ScottMac
Plenum cable is also a major PITA to terminate. The jacketing is tighter and stiffer that the usual plastic jacketing.

If you're set to do this, I'd recommend terminating the plenum cable at a jack, then using a regular jumper for the final stretch (at each end). As soon as you start to wiggle the plenum cable (it's not meant to be mobile at all), it's going to come out of the RJ plug and eventually break off (it's solid conductor wire, and you'd have no strain relief).

that would be the best way to do it if indeed you want to use Plenum Cable. I'd guess though that the Max. Env. Temp for standard cable is well above what you would see in a residential heating duct.